


Missing You

by Gobayern16



Series: Star Wars Whumptober 2020 [19]
Category: Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Clone Troopers - Freeform, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Podfic Welcome, Ship under attack, Temporary Character Death, Whump, Whumptober 2020
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-19
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-03-08 21:07:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,068
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27103210
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gobayern16/pseuds/Gobayern16
Summary: One foot in front of the other becomes his mantra.Get to his station.Fight off the enemy.Mourn Tup.
Relationships: Dogma/CT-5385 | Tup
Series: Star Wars Whumptober 2020 [19]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1948018
Comments: 3
Kudos: 41





	Missing You

**Author's Note:**

> This is for Whumptober Prompt #19: Broken heart - Mourning Loved One  
> Thank you to the wonderful RogueLadyVader for beta-ing!

Dogma frowns at his datapad. The killer in the mystery novel he's reading has been obvious for the last two chapters, but the detective can't seem to figure it out. After another misinterpreted clue, Dogma sets the pad down with a huff. It’s really quite obvious at this point.

He checks his comm. He has one message from Tup. 

_ Private message _

_ Tup: Want to come down to the hangar? We're repainting the dropship art.  _

Dogma checks the time it was sent; almost an hour ago. If he's lucky they'll still be working.

He stops by his bunk to stow his pad, before continuing on towards the hanger. He's almost there when the whole ship lurches. He stumbles, crashing into the wall, shoulder complaining from the harsh impact. Alarms shriek and lights flash red.

They're under attack.

Adrenaline surges through his veins. He turns, sprinting back the way he came. He skids into the barracks, nearly colliding with a group of shinies. Rushing to his bunk, he grabs his helmet and jams it on his head. There's no time to put on the rest of his armor; he needs to get to his station.

The corridors are controlled chaos. Alarms and lights blare their warning, vode rush to their posts in the half-light. Comms are a stream of orders and shouts in his ear, status and casualty reports intermixed. 

The ship shudders and jolts anew, Dogma barely able to keep on his feet. A new round of panicked chatter explodes over the comms, including –

_ "Hangar’s been hit!" _

Dogma's heart stops. Tup was in the hangar. His batchmate. His best friend.

For one desperate moment Dogma hopes. That the damage isn't bad. That Tup is going to be okay. But further comms chatter crushes that hope.

_ "There's a breach in the hull!" _

_ "We're venting atmosphere!" _

_ "The hanger’s been sealed off!” _

Dogma chokes off a sob, stumbling to lean against the wall. He yanks off his helmet, unable to continue listening. Grief wells up inside him, tears gathering in his eyes. He brings a fist to his mouth, trying in vain to stifle his sobs. Tup  _ couldn't _ be gone. Dogma  _ needed  _ him.

The ship rumbles and lurches around him, jolting him back to awareness. He forcefully stuffs his anguish and despair into a box in his mind. He doesn’t have time to mourn; others are depending on him. He rises to his feet, taking several deep breaths. 

Marginally calmer, he puts his helmet back on. His feet carry him towards his post, body moving on autopilot while his mind is in turmoil. He falters briefly as the hangar situation is updated over the comms, before shutting his thoughts down. One foot in front of the other becomes his mantra.

_ Get to his station. _

_ Fight off the enemy. _

_ Mourn Tup.  _

**********************

Hours or days later, the battle finally ends. A muted cheer sounds over the comms at Captain Rex's announcement of the Seppies’ retreat, but Dogma is too tired to join in.

He lifts his arm, intending to send a message to Tup, when his eyes catch on the open message displayed. On Tup’s last message.

Grief breaks through his barriers, swamping him. He collapses in on himself, knees colliding harshly with the decking. He rocks back and forth, hugging himself, loud rattling sobs torn from his chest.

Hands scrabble at his helmet, pulling it off. He squeezes his eyes shut, garbled words in his ears, hands touching him.

_ “What’s -” _

_ “- don’t know -” _

_ “- just collapsed -” _

“Dogma?” A gentle grip nudges his face up. “Dogma what’s wrong? Are you hurt?”

Dogma shakes his head, body trembling harder. Hands check him over, pulling his arms away from his stomach. Dogma cries out, struggling to push his brothers away, mindless with grief.

_ “Kriff! Watch out -” _

_ “Grab his arms!” _

Dogma fights, unconsciously mumbling Tup’s name through his tears. 

Someone makes a noise of surprise, then one less pair of hands is touching him. He manages to fight off the rest of them, crawling backwards until his back hits the wall. He curls up into a ball, sobs rattling his frame.

He slowly becomes aware of fingers running through his hair. Of a heavy weight across his shoulders. Of a warm body cuddled into his side.

Slowly, so slowly, noises resolve into words, into a litany of comfort and assurance. Into a voice Dogma thought he'd never hear again. He haltingly lifts his head, wanting to see and yet not.

"Tup?" Dogma asks tremulously. Tup smiles back at him. Worry shines in his eyes and pinches his eyebrows.

"Hey, cyare," he says gently. Dogma stares at him for one long moment, seemingly uncomprehending the sight before him. Then it’s as if a switch is flipped. 

“Tup!” Dogma flings himself into Tup’s lap, knocking them both over. Tup lands on his back with a soft  _ oof _ , Dogma huddling on top of him. He burrows down into Tup’s chest, trying to become one with him. His tears start anew.

(POV Switch to Tup)

Tup smoothes his hands up and down Dogma’s back, murmuring reassurances. "I'm here, cyare. Shh, it's alright..."

Slowly, Dogma’s sobs trail off into shuddering breaths. Tup presses his lips to Dogma's hair, content now to hold him until he's ready to speak. 

The breakdown worries Tup. Hardcase had only commed to say that Dogma needed him but nothing more. A frisson of fear rolls down his spine. Had a vod they knew well been killed in the attack?

Movement pulls him from his thoughts, and he smiles softly at Dogma, relieved to make eye contact.

"You're alive." Disbelieving.

"I am," he confirms. A thought strikes him. "Did you think... I wasn't?"

Dogma shakes his head, eyes shining.

"You commed me, asking if I wanted to paint the dropships. I was on my way there when we were attacked," he swallows, fingers clenching in Tup’s blacks. "And then... Then the hangar was hit, and all..." he sniffles, voice thickening. "All I could think about was you there painting," he ends in a whisper.

"Oh ka’ra." Tup’s heart breaks at the anguish in Dogma’s voice, at the pain he suffered through. "I'm here now. I'm fine.” He hugs Dogma tight, aching as Dogma trembles lightly, his emotional exhaustion on display.

Tup decides then and there he’ll check in as often as possible during the next battle.

Never again will his cyare think him dead. Not if he can help it. 

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Comments and kudos greatly appreciated. :)
> 
>  **Permissions:** All my works, including this one, can be translated and podficced without first asking my express permission. I ask only that you credit me as the original author and provide a link back to the original work. For anything else, please ask first. Thanks.


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